Ever have a conversation with someone and feel exhausted afterward even if it wasn't stressful? They may have dumped some of their energetic baggage on you. And your energy body may have accepted it with glee!

How do we stop letting other peoples' issues drag us down?

As we go about our daily activities and interact with people on any level, including passing them on the street, we have an energy exchange.

One of my teachers, Jill Leigh, Founder of the Energy Healing Institute teaches a wonderfully effective method for how not to be bogged down with everyone else's baggage....it's called Cutting Cords.

When we expend emotional energy (positive or negative) interacting with the world around us, we do this by sending an invisible "cord" to the other person(s). Similarly, everyone else sends "cords" back to us. Picture these cords to be thin like dental floss for the minor interactions and thick like rope used for tug-of-war for significant interactions.

These cords enable us to stay focused on where we direct our energy during an interaction of any degree. However, when cords build up they become a tangled mess and we need to unencumber ourselves from the energetic connections with the rest of the world. (This is not the same as detachment. Rather it is letting go of the unnecessary energy running between ourselves and the world.)

Jill recommends, consciously cutting the cords by closing your eyes and slicing them with a soft utensil or gentle gloves, swiping at the cords until they disconnect from us.

We are essentially, taking back the energy we've extended to the world and giving back the energy we've borrowed from the world. You need not even know where the cords are coming from or going...the process of cord cutting will send the energy back to where it belongs.

This is an ongoing process. Once we cut a cord, it will likely come right back (especially those deeply ingrained cords with parents, kids, spouses, bosses....) if we don't repeat the process daily (or multiple times a day). While we are cutting the cords we also need to simultaneously let the energy associated with the cord leave our bodies.

Cords attach to all parts of our body, generally associated with a particular chakra. (Learn more about chakras) Even if you haven't studied the chakra energy centers in your body, just close your eyes and notice where you attention is drawn on your body....your belly, chest, neck....

Wherever you attention is drawn is likely where you have tangled cords and a build up of holding other people's energy or a spot where you've sent out much of your own energy to the world. So just "cut the cords" around that area. If you can't localize a spot on your body that needs cord cut, do a general cord cutting and release the cords from around entire body.

Spend a few minutes cutting cords throughout your day, especially after an emotional exchange and then again before bedtime....it only takes a few minutes and reaps enormous benefits.